Data center approved in Utah despite community protests

A proposed 60-square-mile data center project in northwest Tooele County, Utah, faced considerable community opposition before its recent approval by County Commissioners. A public meeting to discuss the project was met with protests and numerous interruptions from a large crowd, leading the commissioners to retreat to a smaller room and broadcast the decision via Zoom. Despite receiving over 2,500 messages, many reportedly positive, the commissioners voted to approve Resolution 2612, which greenlights the data center. Developer Ori Digital committed to working with the community and employing cutting-edge technology to minimize environmental impacts such as water usage and air emissions. The project is projected to create at least a couple thousand jobs and generate energy tax revenues for the county. However, a significant portion of the community remains opposed, expressing concerns about the land impact, water consumption, and emissions.